Mark di Suvero, Arikidea (1977-1982)

Author

Walker Art Center

Date

1998

Institution

Walker Art Center

"Wouldn't a rusty brown spider standing on a bed of fresh snow be great to behold?"--Mark di Suvero

Beginning in the 1960s Mark di Suvero began experimenting with sculpture made almost entirely of found objects, such as steel beams, tires, chairs, chains, and other materials from torn-down buildings and junkyards. For Arikidea the artist selected I-beams from demolished New York skyscrapers and assembled them into this massive structure. The sculpture is more than 26 feet high and 42 feet wide and weighs approximately three tons. The wooden swing suspended in the center playfully invites the viewer to interact with the work. The steel beams looming above gently sway with the wind and the movement of the swing. The title of this monumental piece evolved loosely from the word "arachnid" (spider), a creature di Suvero admired for its ability to create structures in space.